WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw

"Hey! Its WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain #Reload Turbo!"

Synopsis Restatement: Hey! Its WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain #Reload Turbo!

Best Features: Great heel/face system, good grappling controls, nice match variety

Worst Features: Too much like its predecessor, rubbish roster

Pro wrestling has always been hard to replicate in video games. To date, the best attempt is considered to be WWF No Mercy for the N64. Before this game came out, I had high hopes it would become the "No Mercy-killer". Everything seemed like this game had the makings of an incredible wrestling title. As the 6th game in the prestigious "Smackdown" game series, it had a good pedigree (no pun intended) to back it. However, it was not to be.

Graphics: 7
If this were WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain we were talking about, the graphics would be fine. Animation is smooth and hit detection is clean. The wrestler models are defined and detailed (and this time, even the CAWs are up to snuff as far as quality goes). However, this isn't HCTP, this is Smackdown VS RAW. Since that is true, I expected better from this game. The graphical engine has gotten a boost with each progressive title and I was hoping to see as much from this game. Still, the graphics aren't terrible. They still have all the points mentioned above. I'm just disappointed in the lack of overall improvement.

Sound/Music: 8
For the first time in the history of the Smackdown series, the game has real licensed music (in fact, 2 of the songs you may recognize from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2). Bands like Powerman 5000 and Zebrahead provide their talent and even created some new tracks for the game. However, sadly, the quantity of music isn't that vast (only around 10 or so songs). Even worse, they canned the trademark RAW and Smackdown themes (so no "Across The Nation" in this game). The sound effects are clear (mat bumps, strikes, and slams are quality) but the announcers are as awkward as ever (sometimes you wonder if they're calling the same match you're in).

Control: 8
Since Smackdown's control was redone in Smackdown HCTP (using a grapple system that allows the player to choose what moves to use by selecting a type of grapple), the series has felt much less spastic and more intricate. Its unique to the Smackdown series and doesn't really take from any other title out there. Its still here in this game with few modifications. The controls are intuitive and easy to learn. The reversal system is (as its always been) too easy to abuse as 2-player matches easily turn into counter-fests with little or no grappling involved. Hopefully for Smackdown 7, Yukes will tweak the counters to be more balanced and put more emphasis on grappling strategically.

Gameplay: 6
This is where the game suffers from its biggest hindrance: its similarity to last year's model. The game offers the same match types (though, many as there are) and same configurations as last year. The CAW is more detailed this time around but good luck with the moveset, as its been vastly toned down. In addition, you can also create PPVs and belts. The PPV creation system is well done but the belt element is somewhat clumsy and cumbersome. New elements to gameplay such as the heel/face meters (which is probably the greatest enhancement since the series' inception and what I believed to be the "No Mercy-killer" element), pre-match minigames, and chop battles are good upgrades but don't meet the need for a "sequel level upgrade". Truthfully, the heel/face system could have been better implemented as this could have captured a whole new side of wrestling and brought a lot to the completeness of the experience. The meters used for the chop battles, spanking, and whatnot are also useful in the future as you could have drag battles (during tag matches on TV, you usually see one wrestler dragging another away from his corner to stop them from getting a tag and I could see this being used in this game). Finally, this is the first wrestling game in history to go online. However, once you do, players will only find singles matches and Bra & Panties matches. Yukes should really improve on the online aspect next time (online tag or Elimination Chamber matches perhaps?).

Replay Value: 7
The Season mode in this game has been stepped down from previous Smackdown games. The storylines are better but player interaction is at an all-time low. Rarely do you get to choose what path you want to tread and winning or losing rides far too heavily on the storyline. Also, the heel/face system is too distorted in Season mode. Usually you will end up being a heel or a face with no warning and no real provocation leading up to it. Tag matches can also be mismatched, with heels and faces working alongside each other. Also, there are no other titles aside from the US/IC and WH/WWE Championship titles. Season mode's replayability is limited to earning more money at best. However, a new aspect to the game's replay value is its Challenge Mode. Here, you enter exhibition matches with the intent to complete some kind of action during the match (such as diving off a Hell in a Cell or slamming someone through a table during a TLC match). As you complete challenges, you earn more money and by completing entire sets of challenges, you can open up new arenas ore attires (which are sadly limited this year as very few wrestlers get to use them). Challenges range from easy (such as winning an Elimination Chamber) to hard (defeating Evolution in a 2-on-1 match). The roster this year is also terribly stricken as its rather weak (lacking wrestlers such as The Hurricane or La Resistance). Hopefully next year will see a return to classic Season Mode and an improved roster.

Overall: 7
If you played HCTP, you aren't missing that much. SDvR had a lot of potential to become a memorable wrestling title. With all the improvements that were promised in the pre-release, I was expecting huge things. However, I met disappointment after playing it. Yukes needs to step it up next year as this game left too much to be desired. As a first wrestling game, it delivers. To the veterans, its a letdown.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/07/04